Only Human
by The Smiling Shadow
Summary: Smith is only human. He knows this now. He's lost in a city which was just filled with humans the night before. Now he finds he is only human. And Agent Neo has to tell him that so he may be freed.
1. Only Human

Only Human  
  
Agent Smith ran down the empty road. Tripping as he ran through a puddle. Around him was what was once a busy city, filled with disgusting load humans. But now it was nothing more but a deserted concrete jungle. The buildings stood tall, and the cars still were parked, but there was no one there. Except for Smith. Rain came from the Matrix sky, and lighting and thunder broke the silence. Smith kept running. He panted and panted, but still ran as fast as he could. The rain dripped onto his shades, and his suite was wet. He didn't notice, he just kept running. He fell onto the wet road, his shades fell off and broke in two. He looked at them for only a moment, and quickly lifted himself up and ran. His legs started to hurt, and he had cramps. He wondered for only a second why. He was a program, he shouldn't get so tired so easily. He almost slipped on the road, and clumsily started to run again. He was breathing harder now. Heaving almost, his muscles started to ache, and his vision blurred. He still kept running.  
  
"Run."  
  
He heard from all directions. Fear started to strike him. He ran in the abandon city, which only the night before was filled with humans. He looked at all sides, trying to find the cause of the voice.  
  
"Run. If you think that will make a difference."  
  
The voice came again from all directions, it was as loud as the thunder from the sky. It echoed through the empty streets. The only other voice was Smith's quiet screams. He panted, as his heart pumped and his body ached. He felt as if his entire body weighed a ton. He kept running.  
  
" That's it. Just run."  
  
The voice grew even louder now. Smith looked in all directions, but saw nothing. He was scared now. He didn't know what was happening. A feeling that made him feel weak. He grew disoriented, looking in all directions. His muscles ached, his heart pumped, his breathes heaved, and his legs felt like they were going to explode. He didn't know what was happening. This had never happened before. He had never felt this. He had never felt so tired, so confused, so weak, so human. He finally collapsed on the road, face first. He closed his eyes, and didn't want to see what was happening. The rain fell on him, and it hurt. He buried his head in his arms, like it would make a difference. Fear consumed him. He thought of the coming terror, he closed his eyes harder. Then he pasted out from exhaustion.  
  
Smith felt something softly kicking him on the shoulder. His head still in his arms, he slowly opened his eyes. He was unsure what happened. He was weak, and couldn't move. Then he remembered he was running. It hit him, and he jolted covering his body. Something still continued to kick him softly. He was too scared to look up. It took him a minute to get the strength to look at what was kicking him. Slowly his head rose to see, himself staring right back at him. He looked farther, and saw the entire street was filled with himself. At first Smith was relieved to see his copies. But then he noticed, they didn't look right. Fear struck him once more. The copies didn't move, but merely stared at him. It was enough to make Smith terrified again. He huddled up, leaving his eyes open.  
  
"Goodbye Mr. Smith."  
  
The one said that had been kicking him. Smith froze in horror. What was happening, he kept asking himself. He soon wanted to run, but his body didn't move. He watched as the one copy that stood in front of him pulled out a gun. His eyes widened, he stared at the gun, then at his copy. The copy only grinned, and fired the gun.  
  
Smith went to a place. He drifted into nothingness. His body weightless, as he floated around. He felt no more pain. No more fear. He bobbed his head, and opened his eyes. He smiled. He drifted into nothingness. And then something happened. A bright light showed threw the darkness. Hit hurt to look at it. And the light took over the darkness. And Smith felt pain again. His body ached again, as he threw out his arms and legs and screamed in pain. The light consumed everything. And Smith woke up on the empty street once again.  
  
He laid on his back, the rain falling on his face. His mouth was slightly open. And all the pain came back. He couldn't move. He couldn't really breathe. He laid there, asking questions to himself. What has happened? Why am I here? Did I die? Why do I feel so weak? The same questions, over and over and over. His head began to hurt, and his vision blurred again. It hurt to breathe. And it hurt to blink. Smith was so weak.  
  
"Get up."  
  
The same voice from before. It came from everywhere. Smith was too tired to care. Whatever it was, let it come. Let it take the pain away. He thought.  
  
"I said get up."  
  
Smith ignored it, and tried to do the same with his pain. He closed his eyes, and tried to drift away.  
  
"I said GET UP, Smith."  
  
Smith ignored it.  
  
"GET UP!"  
  
The voice was so loud it hurt Smith's ears. He jolted up without even realizing it. He panted, as he slowly looked around. The city still quiet. Not one human. Smith had time to wonder why. He just blanked out for a moment and they were gone. They he wondered why he blanked out. Why he felt so much pain. And fear came back. Smith looked around, panicking. His eyes saw something down the road. His eyes widened, and his mouth opened. He froze in horror, and his heart stopped.  
  
"Mr. . . Mr. And. . . Anderson?"  
  
He asked in a quiet weak voice. He couldn't believe it. Mr. Anderson stood on the other side of the road. Smith panted at the sight. His back slouched down, and he couldn't move. Mr. Anderson grinned, and started to walk slowly towards Smith. His footsteps made echoes. It sent chills down Smith's spine. Smith wanted to run. He was too weak to fight, to weak to do anything. He just couldn't move. He could see his reflection in Mr. Anderson's shades now. He saw the fear in his eyes. It just made him more scared. Mr. Anderson stopped only inches away from Smith. Mr. Anderson didn't move, but simply stood there and stared. Smith started to shake. He didn't know if it was from the cold or the fear. He didn't like the feeling. He was never supposed to feel like this. He was Smith. But now he was just so weak.  
  
"You're scared." Mr. Anderson said.  
  
Smith stood there, Mr. Anderson hovering over him.  
  
"Can you see it Mr. Smith? The fear in your eyes? Such a human emotion, isn't it? I'm sure you don't like it at all."  
  
Smith was terrified. Mr. Anderson grinned.  
  
"You can't move. Your body aches. Your head is throbbing. Your heart is pumping. And you are scared. So human."  
  
Smith was terrified.  
  
"These are imperfections, Mr. Smith. Inefficient, irrelevant feelings, and imperfections. Causing the system to slow down. You make your copies and thrive in the Matrix. And you become a virus"  
  
Smith starred into Mr. Anderson's dark shades.  
  
"But I suppose I can count on these imperfections."  
  
Mr. Anderson started to circle Smith.  
  
"You are after all. . .Only human."  
  
Smith's heart stopped.  
  
"Only human." Mr. Anderson repeated.  
  
Smith fell to his knees. What did Mr. Anderson say? He asked.  
  
"You're lying." Smith said weakly.  
  
"I am not, you human."  
  
"You are the imperfection. You are the human! You are the virus!" Smith yelled in anger.  
  
"I am not, you human."  
  
"No, no, no."  
  
"Even now your head fills with emotions. Don't you see Mr. Smith? This whole world is a lie. I am the Agent, and you "Programs" are the viruses, the humans. This whole world is a lie in a lie. "  
  
Smith fell silent. He was terrified. He was confused. He was in denial. Mr. Anderson only grinned.  
  
"Only human." Mr. Anderson said. "Only human."  
  
"Please, no."  
  
" You see, Mr. Smith. Some humans were too strong for the system. They would become free. So to correct this we made those humans into programs inside the Matrix. And we became the rebels."  
  
Questions filled Smith's head. So many questions, so much confusion. Things Smith had never felt before. He was the program. He told himself. But he knew it was a lie. All the programs were the humans. The rebels were the programs. It was all a lie in a lie. Smith was only human.  
  
"Only. Human." Mr. Anderson said.  
  
"No!"  
  
Smith looked down, eyes wide and panting. So much. He looked up at Mr. Anderson. And backed down. He looked back up, and a Sentential stared at him, only an inch from his face. He stared at the red eyes. He had never seen them in person. He could still see his reflection in the glass. Smith panted. He got up and ran. The machine of course faster. It was futile trying to escape. Smith knew that, but he still ran. He turned a street corner, and saw the machine in front of him. He was in shock. The machine grabbed his neck, and lifted him off the ground. Lightning struck the Matrix sky. Rain fell, and the streets were empty. A newspaper flew by, and a street light flickered. Smith choked and gagged. He watched as the Sentential transformed into Mr. Anderson. Mr. Anderson held Smith high in the air. He grinned.  
  
"My name is Agent Neo." He whispered to Smith.  
  
Smith grabbed Neo's hands, trying to free himself. He failed. His hands fell to his sides, he stopped struggling. He stared at Agent Neo. He couldn't see the program's eyes. They were masked by the dark sunglasses, just as his were. Agent Neo grinned, and started to silently laugh. He squeezed Smith's neck harder, and started to laugh louder. All was going black for Smith.  
  
"Only human." Agent Neo said.  
  
All was darkness for Smith. And he drifted away.  
  
Something was down his throat. Something was pushing on his face. He opened his eyes. And saw these plugs in him. He tried to get away. He waved his arms. And finally started to push up. The red goo around him was hard to get out of. It felt like a cocoon was wrapped around him. He lifted with all his strength, and got his head out. He stood up, and pulled the thing from down he throat. He started vomiting. He coughed and coughed. Wiped his face, and pushed his eyes. His body ached, his muscles hurt. He couldn't really breathe. He fell onto the side of whatever he was in. He panted and looked up. Red pods. Everywhere. Then he remembered what had happened. And fear consumed him once more. The Matrix. Only human. Programs. All rushed through his head. A machine came up. Grabbed his neck.  
  
"Only human." It said in a crackling voice.  
  
And he blacked out again.  
  
A light was in his eyes, and he couldn't see. It hurt to move, as he slightly moved his head.  
  
"Welcome to the Real World."  
  
Smith then realized he was free. Truly. Free.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
I always wanted to get Smith into the Real World. Well now I did! ^_^  
  
R/R please! 


	2. This Is Real

This Is Real  
  
"What are you doing?" He whispered.  
  
He couldn't remember what had happened to him. He didn't realize where he was, what was happening, and who were the people standing above him.  
  
He couldn't move.  
  
Agent Smith lay on a cold metal table, and bright light shined in his eyes. He turned his head away from the light, to see someone grab his arm. He couldn't make out who it was, he only saw a blur.  
  
Then he started gasping for air.  
  
"You're having trouble breathing, we need to put a tube down your throat to help you." A woman's voice.  
  
Help?  
  
He closed his eyes still heaving.  
  
But he was Smith he didn't need help. Where were his copies? Where were the city and the rain? What were these people doing to him?  
  
Then someone injected something in to him.  
  
"No!" He yelled, snatching his arm away.  
  
What were they doing to him!? What did they do with his copies!? Did they kill them? Were they killing him? Where was the noises and smells? Where was Mr. Anderson?  
  
"What happened!?" He yelled, thrashing.  
  
They were killing him! He couldn't let them! He was Smith, the Agent, the Virus. Nothing could stop him! He couldn't die, not now. He was so close!  
  
"Get away from me!"  
  
He tried getting up, but he couldn't. He only kicked, and thrashed his arms. He was trying to kill the things that did this to him. He could kill them, he was Smith. He was Smith!  
  
He felt people grab him, and he couldn't move. He couldn't lift them, what was wrong with him?  
  
And he felt someone push on his chest, and someone leaned closer to him.  
  
"No. . ." He whispered.  
  
Was this death? Did the Mainframe delete him? Or was Mr. Anderson toying with him.  
  
He still couldn't see clearly, he didn't know he was inches from his face, but he pleaded for life. He didn't want to die.  
  
"It's okay, everything is going to be okay."  
  
Then everything went black for Smith.  
  
He huddled up on his bed. He dressed in rags, no longer his formal suit. He faced the corner, not wanting to see the world around him. The world that was his home. The Real World.  
  
It had been days since he'd been freed, he didn't bother counting. He didn't really want to know. Days ago he was still in the Matrix, still planning for the death of Mr. Anderson. The time of his rise. When he would rule all. But that day would never come now. He was human. Only human.  
  
Agent Smith was human.  
  
He hid from the others. He hid from the people of this ship, he didn't bother to learn their names. The very people that freed him, and healed him, he now hid from. He didn't want to speak with them. He didn't want them to tell him the truth. He wished he'd been given a choice. He would have surely taken the blue.  
  
Agent Smith found himself in pain. His world had been a lie. His life was nothing. He was never an Agent. He was not A.I. He was the very thing he hated. He was a virus, a human. And he found himself thinking like them. He hated that. . . He felt emotions that he wanted to never experience. Sadness, fear, depression, exhaustion. Things that were flaws. Things a program would never have. But he was only human, right.  
  
In a way Smith hadn't accepted the truth. He still wanted to believe that this wasn't reality. He was still a program. He made up excuses, the Mainframe was testing him. This was what deletion was like. This was the Source. But the truth was, he was human. And he couldn't deny that much longer.  
  
Beyond Smith's room stood two humans. He didn't know they were watching him, he couldn't even hear their whispers.  
  
"Should I help him?" A woman asked.  
  
"No, leave him be." A man replied.  
  
"But look at him. . ."  
  
"Give him time, that's all he needs. Remember who he was."  
  
She nodded, and stared at him from afar. Stared at the Agent.  
  
Three days later, Smith hadn't moved an inch. He wasn't going to either. But the others wouldn't let him.  
  
A woman stepped through the door, food in her hand. She was cautious, as Smith didn't even glance at her. She knew who he was. She knew what he might do. But she still sat on a chair across from him.  
  
Smith didn't look. He didn't want her there. He didn't want anyone.  
  
"You have to eat sooner or later, you know. You have a human body now. . ." She said.  
  
Smith twitched at being called human. He then turned his head towards the woman.  
  
"Have you ever eaten before?" She asked.  
  
Smith did not answer, merely stared at her, keeping his back turned. But she didn't leave him. She sat there in silence for a long time.  
  
"I don't want to eat." Smith finally said.  
  
"You have to. Or you'll die."  
  
"I don't want to eat."  
  
The girl lowered her head, and left the tray of food by his bedside. She came back a couple of hours later, and it still was there.  
  
Smith wasn't going to allow himself to lower to such a level. He didn't need to eat. He never did, and he will never need to. But even then, he felt a pain in his stomach.  
  
The girl came back the next day, and left a new tray of food for him, while he still didn't bother to look at her.  
  
Then the girl lowered her head, and left him alone. Smith waited a minute, and quickly turned to the food. Without hesitation he grabbed the spoon and ate as fast as he could. He was human now. He had to give up to his human needs. In reality he was starving. He had never eaten before, and felt it strange for something to go down his throat. He started coughing, and almost throwing up the food. The food did not have a pleasant taste, but Smith had nothing to compare it too. He hated being this weak, and having this weakness. He actually had to eat. . . Humans were so dependant on things, and now he was too. He turned as he ate his food, breathing deeply as he ate it. He was starving, and even came to lick his fingers. Then when he was done, he placed the tray neatly in the corner, as far away from him as he could make it. And he went back to his bed, and laid there. He hated eating. He hated having to eat.  
  
He was only human now.  
  
No matter how hard he tried, he didn't seem to leave this place. This place he could feel the cold. He never could leave this place. He wasn't a program, an Agent, Exile, Virus. He was nothing more than one in six billion. Nothing. Nothing, except what he hated.  
  
He didn't say much as they pulled him out of bed. Only a comment of such a weak human body. They made him follow them. They made him see his home. They made him accept the inevitable.  
  
And as Smith looked around with his blue eyes, he realized something. He couldn't smell them.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I'm not human." He said.  
  
"Yes you are."  
  
Smith turned away.  
  
"I can't be."  
  
"You are. There is. . . A Matrix in a Matrix."  
  
"No."  
  
"A lie to lie to the liars."  
  
"No."  
  
"They make the strongest of us programs."  
  
"No."  
  
"Neo is the Agent, and you. . . You are human. And this is the Real World. This is real."  
  
"No!"  
  
Smith screamed at the captain, Goliath. There, in the Gallery of his ship, Smith sat, and listened to the inevitable.  
  
"There are machines, there is a war. They couldn't contain you any longer. You were becoming too powerful for them. Even as a program you were destroying them. They had to make another Matrix just to contain your copy of Bane. You were becoming too much for the. They were going to kill you." Goliath continued.  
  
"And we saved you." Serenity interrupted.  
  
Smith lowered his head, and gazed at the girl.  
  
"Why?" Smith asked. "Why save me? What for? For this!? This place worst than the Matrix!?"  
  
Save him? They killed him. They opened his eyes to a reality he never wanted. This place he was nothing. He had no purpose, he had nothing to be. Save him and kill him? And like in the Matrix, Smith was asking why.  
  
"We saved you, because we had to." Orion said.  
  
Then there was silence.  
  
"I'm not human."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
He was running, running through hallways familiar to him. Running from something he didn't even know. He only knew he had to pick up the ringing phone. And he pushed the door to room 303, and a gun fired.  
  
He froze and stared at Mr. Anderson. Mr. Anderson hid his eyes with sunglasses, and he smiled as his Desert Eagle Gun was aimed at him. And then pain. He looked down at his chest, and he knew he was going to die. Blood dripped from his chest, as he looked at the blood on his finger.  
  
Then he looked back up at Mr. Anderson, and he fell to the wall. He felt his life leaving him, and hear more gunshots. Mr. Anderson emptied his gun, and his blood smeared on the wall.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Ahhh!" Smith awoke.  
  
He panted and looked at the world around him. He awoke from a nightmare to another. He had been dreaming. He hadn't gone to sleep for days. He didn't even want to go to sleep. Sleep was a weakness, sleep was human.  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
Smith turned to his door, and saw Serenity. Smith said nothing, and only nodded.  
  
"A nightmare?" She asked.  
  
Smith stared only at the wall in front of him. He wanted her to go away. Leave him, leave him alone. But she only walked closer to him.  
  
"I don't like dreaming." Smith finally said, still not looking at her.  
  
"Dreams tell us things." She said.  
  
"I don't like it."  
  
Serenity sat down on the floor, and tried to get him to look at her. But he wouldn't. He wasn't going to, he wasn't going to look at the inevitable, avoid the truth until it goes away.  
  
She wanted him to look at her. She wanted him to allow her to help him. She knew who he was. She had heard stories about him all her life. The legend that was Smith. The Agent that killed, the Exile, the rebel. She wanted to help, she wanted to know. But she had no idea what he had been through. No idea how much he hated what he truly was.  
  
"What is it like?" She asked.  
  
Smith looked away. He wasn't going to answer her, as he sat on his bed. He wasn't going to answer the things that brought him here. The things that wouldn't allow him to die.  
  
"What was it like being part of the system? Dodging bullets? What is it like being an Agent?" She asked him.  
  
In the corner of his bed, in the shadows of his room, Smith didn't answer.  
  
And she tried to find the words to help.  
  
"Why, Mr. Anderson? Why, why? What are you doing? Why get up, why keep fighting?" She said.  
  
Smith looked up at her in shock.  
  
"It is purpose that created us, purpose that connects us, purpose that pulls us, that drives us, that guides us. It is purpose that defines, purpose that binds us." She continued staring at him.  
  
Smith opened his mouth, and tilted his head. His words spoken by a human. His words, his words full of hate, said slowly and skillfully. His words now spoken perfectly from her.  
  
"How do you?" He asked.  
  
"We've been watching you." She said. "We've monitored you."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because we have to."  
  
"Why?"  
  
But Serenity never answered.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"This is the jump program. You have to let everything go here. Forget what you were, and free your mind." Orion said.  
  
Then Smith watched as Orion jumped just as he once could to the next building.  
  
Smith stood, showing no emotion. He finally wore his suit again, and he straightened his tie. His eyes could be blocked by shades. But something was wrong. He could feel it. As he gazed into the horizon of the fake city, he knew this wasn't the Matrix. He could feel it. The codes were different, this was only meant for a simply thing. Jump. And Smith had to, he was human now.  
  
But Smith couldn't let go, he couldn't forget what he was, and he could free his mind. He jumped, and as he fell to the coming grown he knew he was never going to let go.  
  
Smith huddled up in the air, then opened his arms. Then he stopped in midair. Smith was still Smith, and here he could fly. And he stayed there for a moment, between the buildings, only floating. He stared at his reflection in the glass. His reflection looking like he used to. There he was an Agent, a Virus. Then he looked to his hand, and knew it was all a lie.  
  
Smith started to fly upward, and Orion stared at him in midair high above him. And everyone in the Real World stared at the code. They all smiled.  
  
While Smith showed nothing.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Next, and final Chapter: The One  
  
Back by popular demand, Only Human!! This story will act like a trilogy, with only three chapters. And the next one, Smith will return to the Matrix, see the Oracle, and return to Mr. Anderson. 


	3. The One

The One  
  
"Oracle?" He asked.  
  
The old woman smiled.  
  
"Yes Smith." She answered.  
  
"You're the Oracle for both man and machine?" He asked.  
  
"Yes Smith."  
  
He stood before her, a man, a rebel. Inside the Matrix Smith was visiting the Oracle, and he saw her, being the same Oracle Mr. Anderson was said to have seen.  
  
"Are you program or human?" Smith asked.  
  
"I'm a program."  
  
Three weeks have passed since Smith jumped in the Jump Program for the first time. He still couldn't make it. He had grown to accept the truth, not like it, but accept it. But he still stood straight just as an Agent should. He still spoke like an Agent, and he still thought like one. He still could smell them.  
  
Smith stood there in a suit, the jacket ending as a long cloak. He still had the same sunglasses on.  
  
"I see." Smith lowered his head.  
  
The Oracle smiled at him.  
  
"You haven't changed your name." The Oracle said.  
  
"No, I have not." Smith admitted.  
  
"Why?"  
  
". . . I can't."  
  
He'll never let go.  
  
"Can you still fly here?" The Oracle asked.  
  
Smith took a moment to answer, he knew what was coming.  
  
"Yes." He said.  
  
"Do you have dreams?"  
  
". . . Yes."  
  
The Oracle got up, and walked up to him, and took off his sunglasses. Smith lowered his head, resisting. The Oracle frowned, but didn't say anything. She lifted his head, so she could see his blue eyes. He was forced to stare at her, forced to show her the truth he already knew.  
  
"What do you smell, Smith?" She asked him.  
  
"I smell. . . I don't smell the humans, I smell the Matrix." Smith whispered.  
  
The Oracle smiled, as she turned his head to the right. Smith had no choice but to surrender to her will. He had learned to do as he was told. He had accepted to do as he was told. He was used to it from being an Agent after all.  
  
It was a new world. He had to listen. But he hated it.  
  
"Can you see the code yet?" The Oracle asked.  
  
Smith looked away, and stared at the floor. He didn't want to hear it, he didn't want to hear the inevitable.  
  
"Sometimes. . ." He said.  
  
The Oracle stepped back, smiled, and crossed her arms.  
  
"Then you already know what I'm going to say." She said.  
  
Smith held his sunglasses tightly in his hands. He looked up at the Oracle with his blue eyes, he didn't want to say it. He didn't want to hear it.  
  
"I'm The One." Smith said.  
  
The Oracle nodded.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
They had to find him, they had to watch him, and protect him while he destroyed the Matrix. They watched him as he was freed, as he was killed. The watched him make his copies, and spread like a Virus. They made sure Agent Neo didn't hurt him. They had to. They had to protect their One.  
  
He was what he hated most of all, he was The One. He was what Mr. Anderson was. He was. . . He was an unethical prophesized being, with no proof that he can do this. He was something that shouldn't be real. He was what people believed in, he was hope. He couldn't be.  
  
Smith sat in his room, alone in the cold harsh reality of his home. His people destroyed this world, it was his fault, their fault. His people destroyed the sky, and made slaves of their own machines. His people did this to him.  
  
Smith stared at the floor, and made a fist.  
  
Three months had gone by. And Smith, still with his comb over, still dressed in rags, missed all he once had.  
  
"Smith. . ." Serenity came in.  
  
Smith didn't even look at her, he just stared at the floor. He wasn't The One, The One was someone based on beliefs, that's all. He didn't even look at her when she sat next to him.  
  
"Smith. . ." She repeated.  
  
"Serenity," Smith said.  
  
He tightened his fist.  
  
"Tell me the prophecy." Smith finished.  
  
He had suspected being The One for a long time now. But he ran away from the inevitable, he stopped asking questions, he stopped listening, he didn't want to hear the prophecy.  
  
Serenity grabbed his fist.  
  
"The sky is gone, darkness covers us. The machines hold us, and will not let go. We need to breathe, but they give us no air. There is no hope here, there is only suffering. But when he returns to us, he will bring with him light." She whispered.  
  
Smith looked at her.  
  
"The One will return, and The One will give us hope. We will follow in his path, as he grows stronger, we will too. The end of the war will come, and we will be there with him to see the sky dawn a new day. The path of The One will never end."  
  
Smith closed his eyes.  
  
There was only silence now. Serenity still holding Smith's fist, waiting for him to open it, but he never did. Serenity knew her path as well. Smith just closed his eyes. His purpose had changed, his life a lie. What more could he do? He couldn't do this. He couldn't save the people he despised. He couldn't do this.  
  
Smith moved his head slightly.  
  
"Sentinels are coming." He whispered.  
  
Then the alarms sounded. Serenity looked at Smith, and he looked at her. She let go of his hand, and ran to the deck. Smith stayed there in his room, and made a fist. He lowered his head, and focused.  
  
And when he opened his eyes, three Sentinels exploded.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Orion!" Serenity called out, firing her gun.  
  
"Let them go!" Goliath grabbed her arm.  
  
"No!" She cried.  
  
It was a simple mission, check on a new Exile program, see if they're all right. But Agents came, and Serenity had lost track of Orion and Smith. Now she and Goliath ran through the abandon buildings searching for an Exit.  
  
Smith came flying in through the wall, with Orion in his hands.  
  
In the rubble they fell to the floor, and Serenity screamed, they rose to their feet, and Smith pushed Orion forward.  
  
"Go!" Smith yelled.  
  
"What!?" Serenity yelled.  
  
"Go!"  
  
"No! It's three Agents, I won't let you!"  
  
Smith stood there for a moment.  
  
"Then what to you suggest I do!?" He yelled.  
Guns started firing, and Agent Trinity flipped her way in.  
  
"Run!" Smith yelled.  
  
"Smith!" Serenity yelled, Goliath grabbing her.  
  
Smith stood there, and stared at the coming Agent. Smith stared at Agent Trinity, in all her leather glory. She smiled at him, and he tilted his head.  
  
"Long time no see, Smithie." Agent Trinity laughed.  
  
Smith smiled, and kicked her into the wall. She got up without a scratch, and smiled at him. Agent Trinity tried punching Smith, but he blocked. Then she tried kicking him in the head. He blocked. Then she did her very move. She jumped up, and time slowed in the Matrix. She held up her arms, and kicked Smith right in the chest.  
  
He was kicked out of the side of the building, but stopped himself from flying out anymore, and floated in the sky.  
  
Agents were stronger here, Serenity was right, he could handle them, but he didn't have time. Soon Agent Neo would show up.  
  
He fell to the ground, and landed easily, he could sense more of them coming. Smith was going to be fast. He grabbed someone and slammed them into the wall.  
  
"Forgive me." He whispered to the person.  
  
Smith stuck his hand gently into the person's stomach, and covered their mouth. He was still Smith. And there stood another Smith, but in a complete suit. The copy stared at Smith, and Smith nodded to him. The copy flew to Agent Trinity, and Smith got out his phone.  
  
"Operator." Breeze answered.  
  
"I need an Exit." Smith said strongly.  
  
"Four blocks away, Main and Balboa."  
  
"How are the others?"  
  
"They're fine, Smith, now run."  
  
Smith heard a gunfire. He turned and saw Agent Morpheus.  
  
"Dammit." Smith muttered, and flew off.  
  
Flying high above the city, Smith was The One. He was prophesized by the Oracle to save his people. He was going to. He was going to make sure of that.  
  
Then someone grabbed him from the side, and pushed him into the nearest building. The people below screamed, and ran to safety. A battle was coming.  
  
Smith felt himself being pushed farther into the side of a building, Agent Neo pushing him by his ribs. Agent Neo leaned close to him, and breathed on his neck.  
  
"Well, well, I see you've decided to finally show up, Mr. Smith." Agent Neo hissed.  
  
"Mr. Anderson. . ." Smith whispered.  
  
Agent Neo pushed him deeper into the side of the building.  
  
"My name is Agent Neo!" He yelled.  
  
Smith pushed Neo off of him, and flew into the air. Neo shook his head, and Smith prepared for a battle.  
  
"Mr. Smith, you stole my cloak fashion. How dare you!" Agent Neo mocked.  
  
Smith saw Agent Neo had an earpiece now.  
  
Smith growled, and flew towards the program. The first punch was made, and Neo blocked, Smith kicked Neo in the side, sending him to the right. Neo turned back to Smith, and flew towards him, he grabbed Smith, and punched him in the side. Smith flew up, and Neo followed. Smith punched for the Agent, and Neo grabbed his arm, and kicked him.  
  
"Just like old times, huh? Oh, if only I had a pole!" Agent Neo mocked.  
  
"I see you're still just like a human, Mr. Anderson!" Smith yelled.  
  
Neo punched Smith in the jaw.  
  
"Pft, yeah right." Neo muttered.  
  
Smith was punched higher into the air, Agent Neo flew higher than him, and punched him in the back, sending him falling down.  
  
Smith opened his eyes, and realized he was falling. At the moment he didn't care, as he looked on the rooftops to see Agent Trinity and Agent Morpheus pointing at him.  
  
Agent Neo was about to kick him upward again, but Smith caught him by the foot, and spun him upward. As Agent Neo spun in the air, Smith flew straight into him, and punching his ribcage.  
  
They flew higher into the air, Smith pushing Neo. Agent Neo then turned, and punched Smith in the spine. Smith growled in pain, and flew to the side, while Neo did the same.  
  
Agent Neo smiled at Smith.  
  
"Can you feel it, Mr. Smith. That is the sound of inevitability. That is the sound. . .Of your death." Agent Neo said, mimicking Smith's voice.  
  
Smith flew towards him, and grabbed him by the arms, once again pushing him through the air.  
  
"You killed me so many times. But not this time. Oh no, Mr. Anderson. Things are different now." He whispered, before pushing Neo into the side of a building.  
  
"Er. . . What? You finally figured out how to untie a tie?" Agent Neo mocked.  
  
Smith smiled, and threw Neo towards the ground.  
  
Agent Neo recovered, and flew up the Smith, and punched him, grabbing his tie. Agent Neo grinned. He started punching the human, and his sunglasses fell to the ground below. Neo pulled Smith by his tie, and threw him into the building.  
  
Smith lay on the floor, his tie hanging out, debris covering him, and blood dripping down his lip.  
  
He suddenly felt weak, and started panting. He tried getting up but couldn't. Damn this weak body his thought. He fell back on the floor, and stayed there, dust staining his cloak, his ribs feeling like they were broken.  
  
But something compelled him to believe. He wasn't going to die here.  
  
Agent Neo calmly walked up to him, and slightly kicked him on the arm. He grinned. He grabbed Smith by the collar, and carried him to the wall. The wall cracked at the force Agent Neo threw Smith. Smith only closed his eyes.  
  
"Look at me, Smith. Look at me with those big blue eyes." Agent Neo mocked.  
  
Smith slightly looked up, his cloak stained from dust and blood.  
  
"I want you to understand something Mr. Smith. I want you to realize that you're not the only one all misunderstood and shit like that. I hate the Mainframe. I hate the Source, I hate the other programs, and I hate you." Agent Neo taunted in Smith's voice.  
  
Smith could see his reflection in Agent Neo's dark, dark shades. He hid behind them like he did once.  
  
"All those times I had to. . . play along with you, and this game we play. All those times I had to act, and know my lines all for you. I had to learn to play dead, and feel that pain. I had to actually let you kill me, a human kill me!"  
  
Agent Neo pushed Smith farther into the wall.  
  
"I had to act so confused and human for you. All to make you believe your reality, and hate me more. Because of you I had to endure so much shit. So much acting, and toying. I had to yield to your "superior" power as a Virus, and lose to you again and again. I had to go inside you." He sounded disgusted by it.  
  
"They forced me to mingle with your coding and go inside you, make sure everything was going to be okay with you, since you seemed to go insane with Morpheus. I must have left something, cause I feel and hear the shit about this "connection" we have. Pft. How disgusting. And the speeches. Oh god. I had to sit through all your speeches, all talking about you hate me and your own kind. God, those speeches were so long and boring, I swear."  
  
Smith looked at him, and saw himself once.  
  
"I hate you. I hate you, I hate you. And at least I'm strong enough to admit it." Agent Neo finished. "Now, I'm going to end this. I've been waiting for this for so long."  
  
Agent Neo wrapped his hands around Smith's all to human neck.  
  
"You were right, Mr. Smith. You were always right, it was inevitable." Agent Neo said.  
  
Smith started coughing, and choking for air.  
  
He saw Agent Neo smile.  
  
"That's right, Mr. Smith. Cough, and hope something will happen. Hope someone will come for you. Then realize no one cares. Close your eyes and die. Scream for mercy, Mr. Smith. Scream." Agent Neo taunted.  
  
Yes, take pleasure from this Mr. Anderson. Take all the pleasure you wish, I know I would. Or at least I would have once.  
  
Smith grabbed Agent Neo's arms, and pulling them away from his neck. Agent Neo looked outraged.  
  
"I am The One, Mr. Anderson. The light in the darkness. The reflection in your sunglasses. You will never kill me, I will not allow it. I will free my people, and watch you be deleted by the press of a simple button. Can you feel it, Mr. Anderson, closing in on you? Don't fight it. Don't." Smith said.  
  
Agent Neo didn't understand.  
  
And Smith kicked him do the ground, and landed on his knees. He grabbed his neck and coughed. Agent Neo stood up quickly, and his mouth started twitching. He got out his desert eagle gun and started firing.  
  
Smith held up his hand.  
  
And the bullets stopped, falling to the ground.  
  
Smith looked up at Agent Neo, and smiled. He tripped Agent Neo, and kicked him in the face, causing his sunglasses to crack.  
  
Then Smith flew as fast as he could, he closed his eyes and smiled. Yes, he was The One, and he was going to free his people. Yes, he was human.  
  
And as he heard Agent Neo behind him screaming, "No!" He smiled.  
  
He could hear a phone ringing, and he flew through a window and stood next to the phone for a moment. Mr. Anderson flew straight in, and Smith stared at the Agent one more time.  
  
"This isn't over, Mr. Smith! This isn't over!" Agent Neo said.  
  
"I know." Smith said calmly.  
  
Smith picked up the phone.  
  
"This is only the beginning, and I will make sure it has an end." Smith said.  
  
He closed his blue eyes, and put the phone to his ear.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
He woke up to Serenity holding him.  
  
"Smith. . . I was so worried." She whispered.  
  
He didn't say anything, and only held her.  
  
"I'm not going anywhere, I have a purpose I must fulfill." He whispered. "I promise, I won't leave."  
  
He brushed her black hair out of her eyes.  
  
An emotion.  
  
He kissed her.  
  
An emotion he never believed was real. Simple mind waves of the human mind. An emotion he once found dull. What could have come from such an emotion. Irrational behavior, sacrifices. Nothing good came from love.  
  
Except maybe for love.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I know you're there. I know you're scared of me. You've always feared me. You've always hurt me. I know the truth now. I can smell it all over this place. I can smell your lies, and feel them. I know you're going to try and stop me. You can't, and I think you know this. I am now The One that will end this war. I'm going to show these people the truth. I'm going to free them. I'm going to someday look up at the true sky. I'm going to live in a world without you. I'm not going to allow you to hurt anyone else."  
  
Smith spoke to the machines without emotion, just as a machine.  
  
He hung up the phone, and stood in the phone booth for a moment. Then looked over to Serenity standing outside.  
  
He is going to go to Zion that day. Believers would greet him, and he wouldn't know how to react. He doesn't yet know how to talk with the others still. He doesn't know how to carry a conversation. He does not yet know how to dance with the others, and recognize the beat of the drums. He does not know how to go to a Council, and give them his word he trusts them. He does not know how to prove himself yet. He does not know how to give a speech, or how to survive this war. He doesn't know how to heal the wounded, or drive the ship. He does not even know how to bend a spoon yet, or to understand his dreams. He doesn't know how to express himself.  
  
He doesn't know how to tell her how much he loves her.  
  
His voice a void of much emotion. Only hatred and anger can be expressed through his words.  
  
He knows what fear and weak feels like, he just doesn't know how to express it.  
  
He doesn't yet know how to be gentle.  
  
He doesn't know how amazing his blue eyes are.  
  
But she knows this. Everyone knows this. And they are willing to teach him, guide him, and follow him through this war.  
  
For he has said they will win, and so they shall.  
  
Because he believes it, and he chooses to believe it. 


End file.
